Lieberman open to serving in Romney administration

Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut said Thursday that he’d consider serving as Secretary of State in presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney’s administration if the Republican offered him the gig.

“It is not certainly what I am planning, but if any president — including obviously President Obama — asked me to serve in the position, I would give it serious thought,” Mr. Lieberman told The Washington Times. Asked to clarify if that includes Mr. Romney, he repeated: “If anybody who is president [offered the position] I would given it serious thought.”

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Mr. Lieberman announced this year that he would not seek a fifth term, closing out a political career that spanned four decades and saw him go from being a Democratic stalwart to one of the Independent voices in a increasingly partisan Senate.

He served as running mate to Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore in 2000, but soon after fell out of favor with the liberal wing of his party, culminating with his loss in the 2006 Democratic primary in Connecticut. Nonetheless, Mr. Lieberman ran as an Independent, kept the seat and was on the shortlist of potential running mates for Sen. John McCain, the Republican party’s 2008 presidential nominee.

More recently, there’s been some speculation that he could be among those being considered for Secretary of State if Mr. Romney defeats Mr. Obama in the November election.

Mr. Lieberman is a steadfast support of Israel and has staked out a hardline against Iran’s disputed nuclear program — putting him on the same page of Mr. Romney, who visited Israel during his recent overseas trip.